“Don’t let your knees fall in when squatting” is a common cue in strength training. Along with “spread your fingers” during press-ups and “press your feet into the floor” when deadlifting, they’re all things coaches encourage us to do – but why? 

Well, these cues are all designed to increase how we engage and use our joints. While so much thought goes into our muscles with activation exercises, mind-to-muscle connection and squeezing during certain phases of movement, your joints are just as important.